Oliver Tietze   Diplom-Restaurator

From 17th August until 12th Septmeber, the parishes of Spröda, Kyhna and Laue north of Leipzig will host an International Summer School for conservation students. (Details for applicants below)

Four students from international universities will be given the opportunity to deepen and expand the theoretical knowledge they have acquired at the universities through practical work on objects of the interior in the three baroque churches. Over the course of four weeks, three baroque objects will be treated: a wall inscription in the church in Spröda (conservation and integration of losses), a baroque panel painting of the church in Kyhna and the conservation of a stone baptismal font in Laue.

Our summer school goes beyond mere practical training: in seminars on the practical work, participants deepen their knowledge of restoration techniques, materials, and art-historical contexts. Excursions to other cultural monuments and museums in the area offer insights into the regional culture and history, and in-depth insights into interesting restoration projects. The main objective of the parishes, namely the preservation and restoration of their churches, is combined with education. Education does not only work in one direction, from teacher to student, but also vice versa. The participants bring different perspectives and techniques from their countries and universities, which inspire and enrich the regional professional world.

An important secondary aspect (‘collateral benefit’) of the summer school is the encounter and exchange - both among the international participants and with the inhabitants of the region. The involvement of the village communities enriches local cultural life and raises awareness of the importance of preserving the collective cultural heritage. The local parishes support the project by providing accommodation and actively participating in the exchange. The churches are open to residents and visitors during the work. The event concludes with a get-together with conversation, food, and drink, during which the work on the objects is presented.

You can find some highlights from the 2025 summer school here.

When: 17th August until 12th Septmeber 2026

Where: Churches in Spröda, Laue, Kyhna (north of Leipzig, Germany)

Who: Students of restoration and conservation, either specialising in paintings and painted wood or stone conservation, studying for at least one year, (There are four places available)

Content: Combination of practical work on objects, corresponding theory seminars, excursions to cultural monuments in the surrounding area

Language: English

Project organiser: Schenkenberg parish (Delitzsch - north of Leipzig)

Contact person / organisation: Graduate restorer Oliver Tietze (www.restaurator-leipzig.de , post@restaurator-leipzig.de)

Types of objects: wooden panel paintings, mural decoration, stone

Objects:

- Wooden panel painting of the Kyhna church (17th century): cleaning, varnish removal, conservation of paint layers, filling, documentation

- Stone baptismal font (1591) in the church in Laue: conservation, cleaning as well as dismantling, de-salting and rebuilding the plinth ., 3D-documentation

- A baroque decoration and inscription of a wall in the church in Spröda (conservation and integration of losses)

Seminars:

- Introduction to the objects (history, technology and previous restorations, ...Minister Matthias Taatz, Graduate Conservator Oliver Tietze, Leipzig)

- The Conservation of Vasa Sacra (metal objects) of the parish Schenkenberg (Graduate Conservator Christina Neubacher)

- Surface cleaning of wooden panel painting (Graduate Conservator Oliver Tietze, Leipzig)

- Photo documentation and introduction to 3D documentation using photogrammetry (Graduate Conservator Oliver Tietze, Leipzig)

- Introduction to analysis with FTIR (Graduate Conservator Dr. B. Freysoldt, Leipzig)

- Removing varnish from panel paintings - gels and compresses (Graduate Conservator Oliver Tietze, Leipzig)

- Wood consolidation (Graduate Conservator Leonard Fritsch, Dresden)

- Working safety

- Investigation of polychromy on a stone object (Graduate Conservator Birgit Mühler and Graduate Conservator Oliver Tietze)

- Setting up a scaffold (wall decoration) and tripod (stone baptismal font) (Graduate Conservator Birgit Mühler)

Excursions:

- Delitzsch town church (late Gothic altar)

- Delitzsch Castle

- Löbnitz church (painted wooden ceiling, impressive interior)

- Altar pieces in Hohenroda (stone, baroque) Podelwitz (painted wood, gothic)

- Spontaneous excursion according to offer and demand (Leipzig Grassi Museum, Egyptian Museum, … churches)

- Presentation of own objects to an expert audience as part of the Leipzig restorers‘ regulars’ table and three open workshop evenings

Lecturers: Graduate conservator Oliver Tietze, graduate conservator Birgit Mühler, graduate conservator Leonard Fritsch, graduate conservator Dr Bernadett Freysoldt, graduate conservator Christina Neubacher

Accommodation / Costs / Compensation:

Accommodation in a holiday flat (Bettina Paubandt in Possdorf) is provided free of charge by the parish. No remuneration will be paid for the practical work. Participants receive a financial compensation of 160€/week. Participants must organise and pay for their own travel. However, transport from the airport or train station to your accommodation will be arranged by your hosts. Participation in the summer school and the seminars is free of charge.

Programme:

Daily from 8:30 - 16:30 practical work on the objects and approx. 1h seminar. The excursion takes place one day a week, usually on Friday. The weekend is at your free disposal. The locals are very happy if you join them in the cultural events. On the last evening we invite all persons involved in the project for a “last supper” and we would be very happy if you could cook a typical dish of your home country (ingredients and beverages are supplied by us).

Applications: Applications should be sent informally as a pdf document with a CV by 10th June 2026: to Oliver Tietze, post@restaurator-leipzig.de

By sending us your application, you agree that we store your contact details and the documents sent to us and use them in connection with the summer school. You can inform us at any time if you no longer agree to this. We will then delete the data immediately.